Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1887-09-03
CHAPTER XII.
THE SISTER QUEENS.

ting that ran almost to the foot of the vast
stairway, and then halted at flight of steps
leading to the landing place. Here the old
gentleman disembarked, and invited us to do
| likewise, which, having no alternative, and
being nearly starved, we did without hesita-
tion-taking our rifles with us, however. As
} each Of us landed, our guide again laid his
fingers on his lips in salutation and bowed
deeply, at the same time ordering back the
crowds who had assembled TO gaze on us. The
last to leave the canoe was the girl we had
picked out of the water, for whom her COM
panion was waiting. Before she went away she
kissed my hand, ! suppose as a token OF graft
tude for having saved her from the fury of
the hippopotamus; and it seemed to me that she
had by this time quite got over any fear she
may have had of US, and was by no means
anxious to return in such hurry TO her law
full owners. At any rate, she was going to
kiss Goods hand as well as mine, when
the young man interfered and led her
off. AS soon as we were on shore q
number of the men who had rowed the
big boat took possession OF our few goods
ana chattcls, and started with them up
the splendid staircase, our guide indicating to
us by means of motions that the things were
perfectly safe. This done, he turned to the
right and led the way to small house, which
was, as afterward discovered, an inn. Enter
ing into a good sized room, we saw that a
wooden table was already furnished with
food, presumably in preparation for U.S. Here
our guide motioned Is to be seated on bench
that ran the length Of the table. We did not
require second invitation, but at once fell
too ravenously on the viands before us, which
were served on wooden platters, and consisted
of cold goats flesh, wrapped up in some kind
of leaf that gave it delicious flavor, green
vegetables resembling lettuces, brown bread
and red wine poured from skin into horn
mugs. This wine was peculiarly soft and
good, having something of the favor of Bur-
gundy. Twenty minutes after we sat down
at that hospitable board we rose from it feel
ing like new men. After all that we had
gone through we needed two things, food and
rest, and the food of itself was a great bless
ing to u.s. Two girls of the same charming
cast of face as the first whom we had seen
waited on us while we ate, and very nicely
they did it. They were also dressed in the
same fashion, namely, in white linen petit
coat coming to the knee, and with the toga
like garment of brown cloth, leaving bare the
right arm and breast. afterward found out
that this was the national dress, and regu-
lated by an iron custom, though, of course,
subject to variations. Thus, il the petticoat
was pure white, it signified that the wearer
was unmarried; if white, with straight pur-
pie stripe round the edge, that she was mar
ried and first or legal wife; if with a wavy
purple Stripe that she was second or other
wife; If with a black stripe, that she was a
widow. In the same way the toga or "kaff,"
as they call it, was of different shades Of
color, from pure white to the deepest brown,
according to the rank of the wearer, and en-
broidered at the end in various ways. This
also applies to the 'shirts," or TUNES, worn by
the men, which varied in material and color;
but the kits were always the same except as
regards quality. One thing, however, every
man and woman in the country wore as the
national insignia, and that was the thick
band of gold round the right arm above the
elbow and the left leg beneath the knee
People of high rank also wore a torque of
gold round the neck, and / observed that our
guide had one on.
SO soon as we had finished our meal our
venerable conductor, who had been standing
oil the while, regarding us with inquiring
eyes, and our guns with something as like
fear as his pride would allow him to show,
bowed towards Good, whom he evidently
took for the leader of the party on account of
led the way through the door and to the foot
of the great staircase. Here we paused for q
moment to admire two colossal lions, each
hewn from a single block of pure black
marble, and standing rampant on the termi-
nations of the wide balustrades of the stair
case.
On he went up the first fight of 100 steps,
across the broad platform joining it to the
second flight, where we paused to admire the
glorious view of one of the most beautiful
stretches of country that the world can show,
edged by the blue waters of the lake. Then
we passed on up this till at last we reached
the top, where we found large standing
space to which there were three entrances, all
of small size Tive &C these opened ON to
rather narrow galleries or roadways cut in
the face of the precipice that ran round the
palace walls and led to the principal thor
oughfares of the city, and were used by the
Inhabitants passing up and down from the
docks. These were defended by gates of
bronze, and also, as we afterwaid learned, it
was possible to let down a portion of the
roadways themselves by withdrawing certain
bolts, and thus render it quite immacticable
for an enemy to pass. The third entrance
consisted of flight Ct ten curved black
marble steps leading TO q doorway cut in the
palace wall. This wall was in itself work
Of art, being built of huge blocks of granite TO
The height OF forty feet, md SO fashioned that
It's face was concave, whereby was rendered
practically impossible for it to be scaled. TO
this doorway our guide led us. The door,
which was very massive, and made of wood
protected by an outer gate of bronze, was
closed; but on our approach 1t was
thrown wide, and we were met by tie
challenge OF II seutry, who was armed with
heavy, triangular bladed spear, not UNI
like bayonet III shape, and cutting sword,
and protected by breast and back plates of
carefully prepared hippopotamus hide, and
small round shield fashioned Of the same
tough material The sword instantly at
tracted our attention; it was practically